What job opportunities are there for Arts Counsellors/Therapists:

The field of counselling & therapy is very broad.  Some graduates are working part-time in private practice, some are working full time in doctor’s surgeries, schools or charities etc, and some have pursued their own area of interest by providing a new service in their community.  As far as we are aware and from our contact with graduates, the vast majority are currently working at least part-time in counselling & arts in therapy.

Where can I work?

• Primary Care: independent practice; possible affiliation with a GP practice, therapy centre, health centre or psychotherapy practice.
• Mental health care: PTSD, substance abuse recovery, psychotherapeutic clinic, prevention programmes, eating disorders, trauma recovery, etc.
• Special Needs centres.
• Care of the elderly: geriatric nursing homes.
• Education and youth care: primary school, secondary school, college of further education, child therapy centres and charities, special education facilities.
• Terminal Care and bereavement.
• Prison service, probation, rehabilitation.
• Asylum centres and refugee work.
• Hospitals, hospices, respite centres.
• Convalescent homes, rehabilitation centres and facilities for those with acquired brain injury or physical impairment.

Accommodation

Tobias School is situated on the outskirts of the beautiful medieval market town of East Grinstead which is within easy reach of Gatwick Airport, London, the beautiful Ashdown Forest and the South Coast.

Set atop a sandstone ridge there has been a church here for over a thousand years with the town set out in the 13th century alongside the church yard with a wide street designed for use as a market place.

STUDENTS WANTING TO LIVE AT TOBIAS DURING THEIR TRAINING:

At Tobias we have two flats and various rooms for rent.  The flats have a shared kitchen and bathroom (maximum 2 or 3 students) and all the single rooms are self-catering.

In addition, we have access to a large hostel situated immediately next door to Tobias which is available for our students.  There are many single rooms on offer with a shared kitchen and bathroom system.

STUDENTS WANTING TO STAY OVERNIGHT AT TOBIAS:

We have limited overnight rooms at Tobias where students who commute from London or further away stay to save on commuting long distances. In addition students have access to a neighbouring student hostel for overnight stays. Students could stay one or two nights per week depending on the length of the journey but it is completely up to the student. We are flexible and will do our best to accommodate and support each student where we can.

Students with disabilities

We are committed to a policy which allows, as far as possible, for equality of opportunity and access to higher and further education. Central to this policy is the following statement, which is contained within our Equal Opportunity and anti-discriminatory Policies “We are fully committed to a policy of challenging all prejudice and discrimination, for example: age, gender, disability, language, racial, ethnic or national origin, belief, sexual orientation, class and employment status.”

The Tobias’ Disability Statement aims to outline our provision for students with disabilities and/or specific learning difficulties. Our Student Welfare officer Helena O’Sullivan is the coordinator both for assistance regarding the teaching provision and the student hostel. If you have any queries as a result of reading this, please do not hesitate to contact her on 44 (0)1342 313655 or e-mail info@tobiasart.org

With the active involvement of both staff and students, provision is constantly being developed and improved, to add to the learning experience of all our students. It is therefore important that we are aware of your needs so that, where possible, we can work with you to help support you.

The campus is made up of two buildings, built in the 1970s, and has steps and other physically limiting factors. As a result, access to some areas of the School is restricted for those who have mobility difficulties. We strongly recommend that you take the opportunity to visit the campus so that you can assess the arrangements for yourself and discuss the issues with members of staff.

Further details can be found here

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

International students are welcome at our Transpersonal Arts in Therapy Part Time/Modular programme which is ideally suited to students who work and/or live a little further away from us. It is with pleasure that we welcome students from all over the world to Tobias.

Further details, can be found here.

If accommodation is required during the modules it will be organised by the school and we will do our best to arrange it so that students reside in the same place where possible. The accommodation is usually offered on a single room, self catering basis

Does Tobias School of Art and Therapy have an English language requirement?

Tobias does not require you to have a qualification in English language or to take a specific test before you can register for a course. However, you do need to have a reasonable standard of English to study with us successfully. A poor understanding of English language makes study much more difficult and you will need to allow extra time for study.

What is the attendance requirement?

The expectation is that students will attend 100% of the taught programme. Student absence from the course may not exceed five days a year without incurring the need to attend relevant CPD/workshop courses or re-attendance of specific modules

Are there extra-curricular requirements?

The following are details of the additional time and expense requirements in addition to the course contact time:

• Membership of the BACP
• Supervision (minimum 1 hour for every 6 hours of client contact)
• 250 hours of Placement contact time
• 40 hours of Personal Therapy
• Workshops/CPD programmes to complete any missed training hours (if not accounted for in mitigating circumstances)
• Safeguarding: Before beginning placement the student will need to have completed a safeguarding level 2 online training (see https://cpdonline.co.uk/courses/safeguarding/ ) . This will be at the cost of the student (currently approximately £25 / year). A copy of the completion certificate will need to be submitted to the school placement liaison and will be deemed part of the placement documentation.

Any figures quoted on this website are subject to change.

How do I get a placement?

Tobias Procedure for Placement Procurement

• The College has ongoing contact with a number of placement providers. It is constructive to have considered which client group, location and/or any other factors which may determine a suitable placement opportunity for you.  Most placement providers are only able to have one student placement at a time so narrow your requirements down and let the Placement Coordinator know so we can discuss the available options.
• You may also wish to make new contacts to explore a particular interest. In this case, the Placement Coordinator, together with the College Supervisor, will assess the appropriateness of the suggested placement for our placement process approval.
• Your preferred placement request will be discussed by the School Placement Supervisor and the Student Placement Co-ordinator.
• Approval will be reached on a suitable placement opportunity between you and the Placement Coordinator.
• You will contact the placement to arrange an interview to introduce yourself and your placement requirements. For administrative support with placement documentation please contact the Tobias office.
• If successful you will then arrange a visiting time to complete all the relevant documentation and induction to the placement.
• You will remit the documentation required by Tobias at the start of a placement to the faculty including: All contracts, information on the placement and where to access health and safety policies, etc.
• The Placement Coordinator will liaise with you and the placement manager during the placement.
• The Placement Coordinator is the first point of contact should you require support or have concerns about any aspect of your placement.

The following website will provide you with information on the average costs of supervision and therapy:

• BACP Therapist Directory

How long do I have to complete my placement hours once the two year taught component is finished?

Students must complete their placement hours within two years of completing the taught element of the course. Exceptional circumstances can be applied for outside of the two years but not later than three years. All extensions of time must follow the Tobias Extension policy.

In the event that a student’s financial commitment has not been fulfilled within the timeframe of the financial agreement or previously agreed by the office then students will not be able to receive their final assignment results nor complete their course requirements.

Placement Supervision?

We work with a large number of therapy and counselling services and local charities to provide Placement opportunities for our students. As a college, we do not provide regular Supervision but many of our Placement Providers do. If Supervision is not provided, this would be clear from the application or interview stage of your placement.

• Therapists need to be as aware as possible of their own areas of conflict and habitual responses to others in order that these do not intrude into their work with clients or patients.
• Personal therapy enables a student to recognise and contain their own unresolved problems or blind spots, so that they are better able to work with clients and to cope with the stresses of learning on the course without undue interference from internal conflict.
• Personal therapy offers the student an additional opportunity to learn through experience, and helps to develop his or her overall understanding of the therapeutic process.
• Through undertaking personal therapy the student is better able to gain an understanding of how clients may experience the therapeutic process and thus be better able to empathise with them.
• Undertaking therapy outside the course offers students emotional support which an academic course is unable to provide.

What is the role of the Head of School and the Dissertation Supervisor in the final year?

The Head of School will support students with their clinical work ensuring that students are signposted to the appropriate staff member who will offer the support they need throughout their placement period and with their clinical case study report.

The role of the Dissertation Supervisor is to offer practical help and support to students in preparation for their personal research project culminating in their dissertation. Students are supported in this journey with academic guidance, tutorials, and mentorship.

How many students are in a class?

We aim to keep class proportions to a minimum and work within the BACP recommended student/staff ratio. Group numbers may fluctuate as students from other cohorts retake modules missed through illness, for example.

Does the course have an External Quality Assurance process?

The External Quality Assurance Examiner is an independent academic. The emphasis is firmly placed on the student’s learning experience, creativity and teaching methods of tutors, student academic challenges and support.

Are there any bursaries available for this training?

Tobias School of Art and Therapy does not have any in-house bursaries. Contact the office for Funding Ideas and information on possible sources of financial assistance. Tobias is a privately funded college i.e. there is no Student Finance England support.

Can I apply for the Transpersonal Arts in Therapy Training after the start of the course?

Tobias School of Art and Therapy does not admit students after the start of the training.